The Chairman of the House Health and Hospital Committee in American Samoa says high paid employees should have their salaries cut to resolve the shortage of supplies at the LBJ hospital.
Vesi Talalelei Fautanu says he can't fathom how the hospital can pay astronomical salaries to the head of maintenance and have seven people in the finance department earning salaries of more than 60,000 US dollars if it doesn't have basic supplies.
The Manu'a lawmaker says the quickest and easiest fix to resolve the cash flow crisis is to cut the salaries of non-medical staff.
LBJ hospital, American Samoa Photo: RNZI
Although Vesi says funding for a hospital is never enough.
He says a hospital is not a place to make money, it is a place where money is dumped to hire good quality doctors and care.
Vesi says reports about using bed sheets as dressing are not new.
He says supplies always short and families have to bring their own bedding because LBJ doesn't provide them,.
The House Health Committee is holding a hearing regarding the hospital next week.
